“It is unfortunate that mountaineering has no value in our country. Everywhere I go, I have to tell who I am and narrate my achievements. In other countries, mountaineers are considered as heroes and don’t have to introduce themselves.” Fazal Ali is a veteran high altitude porter (HAP) from Shimshal, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. He has … Read more
It is the story of two 8,000s and Shakila. In 2019, seven mountaineers from Italian-Pak expedition were pushing for the summit of 5,800m Melvin Jones Peak in Pakistan when an avalanche swept them down for 600m. Three members of the team were from Shimshal. One of them lost his life on the spot. His name … Read more
“If you love mountains, you cannot ignore the hardships of people living in the mountains.” These are the words by Saad Munawar (Saad Munawar – The Mountain Writer), who is a mountaineer and a writer from Islamabad. He is the author of two books. In 2019, he and Qudrat Ali made a world record by … Read more
In Gulmit, I see a man carrying a rope on his back and walking with the help of an axe. He greets me with a smile. His name is Ayub Khan. He is 85 years old. He is heading up the mountains to herd his goats. “I was a high altitude porter for 25 years. … Read more
© 2012–2022 Kamran On Bike. All rights reserved.
